Team Anna, Baba Ramdev go separate ways, but vowed to support each other.

June 5, New Delhi: After a joint one-day fast, both sides, Team Anna and Baba Ramdev, seem to have took separate ways again. Baba Ramdev and Team Anna shared a stage on Sunday, calling for an end to corruption and renewing demands to bring back black money. Just two days later however, it looks as though both sides will ‘respectfully’ go their separate ways over a difference of opinion on whether they ought to be ‘naming and shaming’ politicians.

Ramdev met BJP President Nitin Gadkari and secured his backing for the fight to bring back black money stashed in foreign banks. The yoga guru has also sought appointments with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and leaders of other political parties.

“I have written to Sonia Gandhi to meet her. I have sought time from all the political parties to seek their support,” Ramdev said.

Asked about Ramdev’s snub to Kejriwal for taking names of Prime Minister and other ministers, Hazare said, different people have different opinions.

“When individuals are associated with issues, political parties will start doing their own thing. It will be deviated from the issues to the individuals. When we mention individuals, we will deviate from black money or a strong Lokpal”, He said.

Kejriwal has been insisting that taking names of politicians, including the Prime Minister, was necessary to keep the pace of the movement.

He also contradicted the yoga guru’s claims that a protocol was set not to take names of politicians or make personal attacks during speeches at the venue.

Whether the issue can be resolved and a compromise can be reached remains to be seen, but as of this moment it looks as though both sides are holding their ground. For all we know they may agree to disagree, but what looks more likely is the end of the Anna – Ramdev alliance.

Today’s decision was taken at a day-long meeting of Team Anna’s core committee which was attended by Anna Hazare, Santosh Hegde, Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Kiran Bedi among others.

Hazare later told reporters that it was unanimously decided to invite Ramdev for Team Anna’s protest from July 25.

“We have also decided to participate in the agitation called by Ramdev from August 9. They will participate in our programme and we will do the same by taking part in their protest,” Hazare said.